


CONTRAST

by P5soleilnoir



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Bonding, During Canon, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Just Boys Spending Time Together, M/M, Teasing, p5soleilnoir
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-14 15:47:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29421087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/P5soleilnoir/pseuds/P5soleilnoir
Summary: The story of two boys who became the unlikeliest of friends just for a day.Or when Goro saves Ryuji from a yakuza, Ryuji decides to pay him back with ramen – as much as it irks him to even suggest it. The feeling doesn't last too long.
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Sakamoto Ryuji, Akechi Goro/Sakamoto Ryuji
Comments: 13
Kudos: 44





	CONTRAST

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not dead! Here's the proof hehe

“Ugh, I can’t stop sweating… It’s just way too hot! 

“I’m gonna shrivel up at this rate… Hey, I’m not getting wrinkles, am I?”

“Now that you mention it—”

“Wait, what?!”

For all its glory, the sun of mid-July might as well have been a very annoying mosquito pestering the whole of Tokyo given the unanimous grumbles it elicited. Wherever one looked, they would witness crowds of people seeking refuge in the coolness of convenience stores or lingering in the rare spots of shade; there was barely anyone who wasn’t walking around with a cup of shaved ice, soft serve, or milkshake, relishing the short but precious relief they provided.

Sitting in a squat under the trees of Buchiko Square, Sakamoto Ryuji kept observing the crowd through a mildly interested gaze, his popsicle pleasantly sour and refreshing on his tongue.

While over two weeks still separated today from summer break, there was a definite air of vacation in the air – thanks to the radiant weather, no doubt. The sky was a spotless shade of bright blue, with not even a single, lonesome cloud to grant some mercy down below. Ryuji lost track of the number of parasols or paper fans in everyone’s hands, although it was obvious they did little in the face of the scorching heat. The effervescence that was so unique to Tokyo, despite all, was present as ever, with no torpor to slow it down; the lively flow of a normal and busy Saturday afternoon.

…A Saturday afternoon which Ryuji found himself, quite grudgingly, spending alone.

He hadn’t felt like staying home despite the temperature – hell, who would want to be cooped up in their room during summer? – but while he had started this day in high spirits, they had long been cranked down a notch, or two, or ten times, with each of his friends’ replies to his eagerness to hang out.

_“I can’t, I’ve got a shooting with Mika at Roppongi Mall, it’ll take the whole day…” “Sorry, I promised Sakura-san I’d help out at Leblanc today.” “Hanging out? When exams are right around the corner? Shouldn’t you be studying instead?” “How can I go outside when I’ve been struck by such a wonderful inspiration? You don’t understand, it’s now or never, if I don’t get to this painting right now, this inspiration might slip through my fingers—”_

_“All right, all right! I get it, dude! Jeez…”_ is what Ryuji had retorted, tired of Yusuke’s drama king acts. Morgana, for his part, felt like relaxing at Leblanc today, according to Ren…

“Relaxin’ from what? Nappin’ and eatin’ everyday…? Gimme a break…”

Ryuji breathed a big, heavy sigh. Then again, if he was at the point when he would have entrusted Morgana with his last hope to save this day from utter boredom, then he must be really, really desperate.

But the fact remained that this day had long tipped into utter boredom already, that it was only three in the afternoon and that he was feeling sulky at his friends for not even trying to humor him so much as one hour. They hadn’t done anything remotely exciting in forever now – not since they reformed Kaneshiro roughly ten days ago. Ryuji had even entertained the idea of going to Mementos to blow off some steam (the Shadows were excellent punching bags), but he wouldn’t hear the end of it if his friends found out he went in alone, not to mention he wasn’t stupid enough to go without telling them despite what they might think. As much as he found fighting in the other world fun, he was all too aware of the danger it posed – being reckless might very well be the last thing he did.

…Ryuji couldn’t help a wry smirk. Makoto always lamented how unreasonable he was; she would eat her words if she saw him right now.

Then again, it was because he was being so reasonable that he was bored out of his wits. He didn’t want to admit it, but this whole day might be wasted already… much to his disappointment.

Shoulders drooping, Ryuji threw his popsicle stick in the nearest trash can, yawned, and dragged himself to a standing position. He had barely taken a step into Shibuya’s Central Street when someone bumped into him – or rammed, rather.

The next moment, a man was writhing on the pavement, his features contorted in agony.

“Ow! Ow ow ow! My arm! You freaking broke my arm!”

Ryuji’s surprise died down as fast as it came, giving way to a weary sigh. He knew he just said he was bored, but he could do without _that_ kind of entertainment – or in other words, trouble.

“Your arm’s fine, old man. Get up already, you’re makin’ a fool of yourself.”

“What did you say…?”

By some kind of miracle, the man stopped clutching his arm and stood up, snarling at Ryuji like a wild animal. Ryuji wouldn’t be surprised to see some froth escape his mouth.

“Are you calling me a liar…?” rumbled the man, the golden chain around his neck catching a glint of light.

_Tch. Yakuza._

“Yeah, guess I am. This scam’s gettin’ old, y’know? I’ve seen it like three times this week. You dickheads keep scarin’ the crap outta people till they cough up. Kinda pathetic, if you ask me.”

“Oh, I’m pathetic now, am I?” the man echoed, cracking his knuckles; passersby were quick to hasten their step, every pair of eyes fixing the ground. “Funny, that’s exactly what the last smartass told me. Know where he ended up? In the hospital. Thirty bones broken.”

“Uh huh…” Ryuji mumbled, already tired of this whole circus. “Look, do me a favor and get lost already, will ya? I ain't in the mood to deal with this shit right now.”

“Oh, I don’t think so. I mean, my hospital bills aren’t going to pay themselves… And neither are yours, you stupid punk!”

In one brisk motion, the yakuza seized Ryuji by his collar, lifting him on tiptoe – Ryuji clenched his teeth, attempting to wrench himself free, but the grasp upon him was akin to a vise.

“What seems to be the problem?” came a voice from behind his back, prompting Ryuji to look over his shoulder. His spirits, already at rock bottom, managed the feat of starting to dig deep below ground level.

Akechi Goro’s big, round, insufferable gaze was locked onto the scene, blinking in that cutesy and oblivious way which never failed to make Ryuji’s blood pressure rise – clutching as always that stupid suitcase or whatever it was called like it was glued to his hand.

“And what do we have here?” jeered the yakuza, his expression shifting to one similar to a predator spotting a prey. “A lost little boy, looks like. Or are you a girl? It’s hard to tell.”

A surge of anger flared up within Ryuji’s core at this: as much as he didn’t hold Akechi in his heart, and that was quite the understatement, the yakuza’s tone was dripping with such contempt and disgust that Akechi might not be standing on the rank of a human being. Even a dog wouldn’t be looked at with that kind of scorn; and while Ryuji had been yelled at, grabbed and yanked upward, it had been from a man to another. Akechi, for his part, wasn’t worthy of that.

But Ryuji’s outrage dimmed out before it got the chance to erupt: because with a surprise so great he forgot all about the scathing retort on his lips, he realized Akechi was smiling pleasantly.

“I suggest you move along,” he said, unfazed like they were chatting over tea. “We wouldn’t want you to get in trouble, now would we?”

The yakuza’s sneer slid off his face as though someone had pressed a button on him. Immediately, he let go of Ryuji and rounded on Akechi, his face within proximity beyond offensive. Akechi moved his own face back, but his feet remained firmly planted on the ground.

“And by getting in trouble, I’m guessing you’re talking about yourself, girlie?” the man said right to Akechi’s blinking face. “Rule of thumb, make sure to think twice who you’re talking to when you’re deciding to be a smartass. There’s a time and place to be running your mouth, and as a matter of fact, it’s never either with me.”

“So I take it we won’t be able to talk this out…” Akechi replied in a sad tone. Ryuji could have slapped himself with his palm in consternation.

“Just stay out of this, you moron,” he couldn’t help but chime in, both defensive and a bit taken aback that Akechi couldn’t grasp the seriousness of the situation. “D’you want to pick your teeth off the ground? You wouldn’t be able to take even one punch before you get knocked out.”

Akechi parted his lips, only to close them again, as if at a loss for words. The yakuza, for his part, snickered.

“You’re not as stupid as you look, Blondie. But, that’s a damn shame—because now that the girlie’s decided to act cheeky, he’s long due for a lesson, don’t you think? Let’s see if he can keep running this trap of his after I wire it shut.”

“So that’s how it is, huh?” Ryuji snapped, taking a step forward as the man reached out toward Akechi. “Of all the people you’re gonna start pickin’ fights with, you’re choosin’ the one guy that’d be smacked off his feet by a gust of wind?” (Akechi blinked politely.) “Come on now.”

“Ah? So you’d rather I started with you first?” the man retorted, turning back to him. “Why not, after all—you’ve wasted enough of my time as it is. Now you’re gonna cough up, or I’ll make you cough up, you hear me?!”

But Ryuji saw it coming: agile like a cat, he ducked from the blow and then the other, earning a frustrated click of the tongue before the yakuza drew back his hand again. Ryuji began to dodge once more, when the fist hurling at him suddenly opened into a claw; the thought that something was wrong had barely begun to form within Ryuji’s mind as he felt a tight grip close around his neck instead of the punch he had expected and prepared himself for. In the vague distance, his brain registered the onlookers’ gasps.

“Got you now, Blondie—”

Ryuji sputtered, his widening eyes reflecting the incoming fist – it was going to break his nose, perhaps worse – the yakuza was smirking in glee, squashing his throat further still to pin him in place – and a nanosecond before Ryuji’s mind issued the command to squeeze his eyes shut, a white blur swept past them.

His hearing was faster to react than his comprehension: a cry of pain rang out, not from his own mouth but from the yakuza, who was doubling over and shaking his hand back and forth wildly as though he had attempted to punch a brick wall. Ryuji tilted his head aside, clueless as to what happened, when his mind put two and two together at the sight of Akechi’s heavily dented suitcase and the way he was still holding it in both hands by way of an improvised shield.

“Godammit—I’m gonna rip you to shreds, you freaking brat—”

The yakuza’s snarl didn’t bear even a tenth of the likeness to humankind anymore. An ominous rumble rocked his core, promising nothing good and everything bad. It was only when he felt a hand squeeze his shoulder that Ryuji realized Akechi was addressing him.

“Let’s go,” he said with a wink, and broke into a sprint; Ryuji hesitated a split second before imitating him, throwing one last glance at the yakuza who seemed too incapacitated to give chase. The flow of swears and curses he spewed in their direction, however, followed them loud and vengeful even as they ran away, alongside the promise of snapped necks and broken fingers.  
  
  
“Hah… Hah… Dude, this stitch’s killin’ me…”

For a moment, there was only the sound of heavy panting echoing off the walls of the narrow alleyway as Ryuji struggled to catch his breath: it had been a while since he ran so much and so fast, but he never realized how rusty he had gotten. Akechi, unlike him, wasn’t palming his knees and wheezing louder than an engine, although his forehead was covered in drops of sweat all the same.

“Is your suitcase okay…?” Ryuji asked after several long seconds, noticing Akechi had knelt down to inspect it. The dent, right there in the middle of the black A, looked even deeper now that he paid it more attention – if that yakuza was able to punch metal that hard, who knows how a face would have fared…

“Do you mean my attaché-case?” Akechi said in return, looking up at him.

“Ah-tah-chay—? Look, I don’t care how it’s called!” Ryuji snapped, hating how stupid Akechi always made him feel with those pompous terms of his. “I’m askin’ you if it’s okay!”

“…My laptop and documents are fine, I think,” Akechi replied, taking them out. “The case itself took the brunt of the damage. I won’t be able to fix it myself, though… I’ll have to bring it to a professional.” 

“Damn, that sucks…”

An awkward silence filled the air. As Akechi gathered his belongings again and clicked his suitcase shut, Ryuji opened his mouth to speak, when he was beaten to the punch.

“We’ve met before, haven’t we?” Akechi asked, climbing to his feet and giving him a pleasant, subdued smile. “At the TV station. You’re one of those Shujin students I talked to backstage.”

“Guess so. Name’s Sakamoto, by the way,” Ryuji grumbled after a pause, opting not to play dumb in spite of his distaste. “So what were you doin’ outside in this heat, Mister Detective?”

“Oh, I was actually on my way home after work. I can’t wait to change into more appropriate clothing—I’m practically melting,” Akechi said, gesturing at his summer uniform. “Our little race certainly didn’t help matters.”

He said it with a laugh in his voice, like they hadn’t done anything more exciting than taking a stroll in a garden. Ryuji couldn’t help but frown a suspicious eyebrow.

“So you ain’t gonna get on my case?” he asked in a low tone.

“What for?” Akechi responded, tilting his head aside.

“For what happened, I guess. With that damn yakuza.”

Akechi blinked in that cutesy way of his, much to Ryuji’s irritation, until his eyes turned to crescents – much to Ryuji’s surprise.

“You’re talking like you were the one causing a scene, when you really stood up to a gangster. You were brave enough to do what very few people would dare – and you did it all in the name of integrity. I’m very impressed, Sakamoto-kun. You’re like a modern day hero of justice.”

“…So you’re sayin’ I’m like you, huh?” Ryuji muttered in a flash of perspicacity. “Sorry, Mister Detective—I ain't some goddamn hero.”

“Is that so…” Akechi replied, his smile unchanging. Ryuji definitely didn’t like the meaningful air it gave off, but before he could hasten to change the subject, Akechi spoke up again.

“Anyway, I should get going. I wouldn’t want to waste your time any further,” he said, checking the time on his phone. “It was a pleasure to meet you again, Sakamoto-kun—”

“Did you have lunch yet?”

As serious as Ryuji’s features were, Akechi’s testified of nothing else so much as pure astonishment. He might have looked more or less the same if Ryuji had announced he was running for the seat of Prime Minister.

“I’m… sorry?”

“I’m askin’ if you had lunch yet.”

Even then, Akechi looked especially puzzled.

“No, I haven’t… I didn’t get the chance to because of work. I was actually planning to stop by a convenience store before—”

“Right. D’you know Ogikubo? Famous for its ramen places.”

“The area in Suginami ward, correct? I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never been there… What of it?”

Ryuji closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He really, really, really didn’t want to do this – hell, of all people, it just _had_ to be Akechi – but he knew he wouldn’t be able to go on with a clear conscience otherwise.

“I know the best ramen joint there—people eat their chopsticks with it. C’mon, my treat.”

“What…?”

Ryuji had never seen such a dumbfounded Akechi before. A sort of self-satisfied glee lit up in some distant recess of his brain: it felt surprisingly great to be the one to take Akechi aback, rather than be on the receiving end of his know-it-all arrogance, sugarcoated with sparkles and chuckles.

“I’d prolly be in the hospital with my face all smashed if you hadn’t stepped in,” Ryuji said, feeling like he was physically prying the words out of his mouth (just _why_ did it have to be Akechi?). Even so, when he lifted his eyes to meet those wide ones, his face was set and serious. “So, much as I can’t stand it… I owe you one.”

Akechi seemed at a loss for words like never before. He merely stood rooted to the spot, opening and closing his mouth in succession, looking like a kid confronted with a difficult problem. And then, without warning… he began to laugh.

“…I wasn’t tryin’ to be funny, y’know,” Ryuji muttered, already annoyed again.

“A-Ah, forgive me,” Akechi hiccuped, his shoulders shaking with mirth before he settled down, although his radiant smile remained whole. “I wasn’t laughing at you—it’s just that you are such an interesting person.”

Ryuji was about to bark some sarcasm in response when Akechi brought his hand to his chin, his eyes bright.

“You remind me of the stereotypical vigilante… Quite rough around the edges, even an outright thug at times—no offense—” (but Ryuji was already offended), “and yet noble of heart, always acting for the sake of others and having very strong principles. Have you ever heard of Robin Hood? The lowly thief in the eyes of the authorities, but a true savior in the eyes of the poor? He’s very famous for his—”

“Okay, okay, I get the picture,” Ryuji interjected, not especially keen on having to set up a tent in the middle of Shibuya just to listen to what promised to be agonizingly long ramblings. “Anyways, I take it you’re comin’?”

Akechi paused for the space of a second, sizing Ryuji up. The smile then returned to his face, as though it had never left it.

“Well, you did make that ramen sound appealing… Especially since I’m always on the lookout for new addresses as far as food is concerned, so I’m quite eager to try it. It would be good material for my blog, too.”

“…Don’t you usually review cutesy sweet stuff?” Ryuji asked as they departed, throwing Akechi a sideways glance. “Cakes and all that girly crap?”

A very faint pinkish shade mottled Akechi’s face. If he was thinking his extremely cheerful laugh managed to hide his bashfulness, he had another thing coming.

“W-Well, most of my readers are women, so…” he said, grazing his cheek with his index finger before giving Ryuji a mellow smile. “So you read my blog too? It’s a bit embarrassing, but I appreciate it—”

“Wh-Wha?” Ryuji sputtered in a mixture of confusion and outrage. “Dude, I ain’t one of your readers—I just checked it out like, once…”

“Oh, I see,” Akechi replied amicably. Ryuji swore he could see sparkles flying off of him.

He was already starting to regret hanging out with this guy, let alone being the one to suggest it.

The subway ride to Ogikubo wasn’t as much of a drag than Ryuji had anticipated. Where he had entered the train car with a perpetual annoyed crease to his brow, it had softened ever so slightly as they approached their destination, matching the gradual loss of his short, curt answers to Akechi’s prompts in favor of some strange and unbidden budding of enthusiasm.

“But dude, the way you just jumped in and blocked his punch with your suitcase… Talk about freakin’ good reflexes. You do some martial trainin’ in your spare time or somethin’? Is it part of bein' a cop?”

“No, nothing like that,” Akechi replied, concealing his chuckle behind his fist, but while Ryuji expected him to elaborate, he never did.

“Maybe I should hit the gym sometime soon,” Ryuji muttered more or less to himself as he stretched his arms. “Been feelin’ kinda rusty lately…”

A great deal of giggling caught his attention, prompting Ryuji to look up at two girls sitting across from him and both sporting flushed cheeks. The fleeting glances they threw in his direction before breaking into excited whispering made Ryuji’s heart leap pleasantly, quite enjoying the flattering attention. 

…Or so he would say, if he wasn’t perfectly aware that the true object of their delight was the guy sitting next to him and chatting on vigorously – apparently oblivious that Ryuji wasn’t listening to a single word.

Just what did everyone see in Akechi, Ryuji wondered. He cast him a look from the corner of his eye, noticing how straight he held himself in his seat, how pristine his uniform was with not a single speck to corrupt it, how his laughter seemed to tinkle and set his gaze alight with a bright glint. There was not even one lock of hair that wasn’t out of place on his head, and his features were spotless as well, almost delicate from his facial expressions to his hands. Ryuji examined his own calloused fingers, his naked muscular arms and his attire - bright tank top, khaki shirts and big sneakers. If Akechi was the illustration of prim and proper, then Ryuji supposed his own self would rather show up next to the definition of punk… He was practically Akechi’s antithesis. The handsome prince, charming the entire city effortlessly thanks to his complete perfection, versus the scruffy pauper, treated with supreme indifference at best to outright disdain at worst.

Ryuji repressed a weary sigh. As much as the guy’s entire being irked him, maybe he should just suck it up, swallow his pride, and try to be more like Akechi… if only because then, he could actually get girls to look his way.

“Ah, Okigubo Station—this is where we get off, I assume?” Akechi said, finally breaking Ryuji out of his rumination. “I can’t wait to eat something… I’m starving.”

“Why didn’t you have a snack at work?” Ryuji asked as they exited the subway car, making their way up the crowded stairs.

“I just didn’t have the time to buy anything from the vending machine… Kaneshiro’s case made things especially hectic for the police. Well, less Kaneshiro and more the Phantom Thieves themselves, I suppose. I haven’t been able to take so much as a five-minute-break ever since Kaneshiro confessed, and I’m afraid it’ll get only worse from there.”

Ryuji couldn’t exactly pretend he was feeling sorry for Akechi even if he were very open-minded, but alarm bells began to ring within his head all the same: now that Akechi had dropped the P-word, this conversation was definitely steering toward dangerous waters. Ryuji had to drag it elsewhere, no matter what: he would never forgive himself if he slipped up in Akechi’s presence… He had already been chewed out badly enough during the incident with Makoto, but Akechi was on another level altogether as far as threat and danger were concerned…

“Y-Yo, this is the place,” he said hastily, pointing at the most packed ramen joint. The street, teeming with life and chatter, carried the salivating smell of broth which never failed to whet Ryuji’s appetite, and today was no exception despite the mid-afternoon. Akechi looked like he was in a serious need for two more pairs of eyes given how much he marveled at everything and anything.

“Man, you weren’t lyin’ when you said you’ve never hung around those parts before,” Ryuji remarked as they entered the restaurant and took seats at the counter as per the cook’s instructions. “Then again, guess it ain't exactly the fanciest place…”

Ryuji couldn’t help a furtive glance at the joint: it was tiny and cramped, probably even shabby by Akechi’s standards, and Ryuji felt an unexpected sense of embarrassment bloom in his mind, to the point he wondered how he could have been so nonchalant about taking Akechi here without so much as a second thought. He could practically see Akechi’s skin crawling in disgust, like a haughty prince being confronted to the existence of peasants and forced to acknowledge it. The guy was probably eating wagyu beef and otoro sushi every single day, just why in the hell did Ryuji think it was a good idea to—

“I’ve never seen so many different sorts of ramen before,” Akechi said eagerly, watching the cook line up five bowls across the counter. “It smells so good too… Which one would you recommend, Sakamoto-kun?” 

“Huh…?” Ryuji muttered, very much taken aback. “Uh, well—I was thinkin’ of tryin’ the spicy one. You get another ramen for free if you eat it all.”

“This is such a fun idea,” Akechi said, beaming at him before addressing the cook. “Could we get two spicy ramen, please?”

“Uh, you sure you can handle it?” Ryuji couldn’t help but interject even as the cook already nodded and got to work. “It might burn off your tastebuds, y’know.”

“I’m never one to turn down a challenge,” Akechi replied with a wink. “I hope you’re up for it, Sakamoto-kun.”

Ryuji’s first reaction was confusion mingling with annoyance, but he forgot about his flat reply before he could formulate it. A grin ended up taking its place.

“Didn’t take you for the competitive type,” he said, leaning back against his chair. “I ain’t gonna go easy on you though, hope you know that.”

“Haha, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Oh, this tea tastes wonderful.”

Akechi took another sip, sighed in delight, and added, “I’ll definitely have to write about this place for my blog, if only for the tea. I wonder what they added in it to make it taste so different from regular green tea.”

Ryuji gulped down his own fizzy drink, enjoying the cooling sensation deep within.

“Why d’you keep a blog anyways?” he asked, wiping his mouth with his hand. “Sounds like a drag, if you ask me. Especially ’cause you said somethin’ about bein’ buried in work.”

A soft thud rang as Akechi put his glass down. He seemed to be pondering the question for a moment or two.

“Because my fans like it, I think,” he replied simply.

“Huh… Talk about bein’ a people pleaser.”

Ryuji thought he had muttered it quietly enough, but it was obvious from Akechi’s surprised gaze upon him that he had heard it all. Something about it made Ryuji feel surprisingly sheepish, but before he could think of a way to get rid of the sudden awkwardness, a new smile then tugged at Akechi’s lips – and while Ryuji couldn’t claim to be the most observant guy around, even he could tell it was a very different kind of smile than the ones Akechi usually showed.

“You might be right… To be frank, I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. Feeling like nobody will ever accept you unless you break yourself in half making sure they do. I mean… It’s exhausting, you know?”

A little chuckle accompanied his words, delivered almost in a joking tone, but Ryuji had the distinct feeling Akechi might be really trying to downplay what clearly felt like a slip-up. Ryuji observed him sip his tea again, sensing something akin to a window open a crack within his mind. It was the first time he held an actual conversation with Akechi, but never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined he would actually see something beyond the sparkles, the haughtiness and the somewhat fakeness. Because something about Akechi’s manner _did_ always feel fake to Ryuji, this manufactured ditziness and stupid jokes meant to endear, and maybe Ryuji had actually been right on the money all along.

“This is why I’m a bit envious of you.”

If Ryuji hadn’t seen his lips move, he would have been convinced Akechi hadn’t spoken up at all.

“Wait, what?” Ryuji stammered in astonishment. _“You,_ envious of _me?_ Gimme a break—I’m just some good-for-nothin’ guy who nobody gives a crap about. Meanwhile, you’ve got it all. You’re like a super famous idol or somethin’. Everyone loves the shit outta you, man.”

“…Yes, because I work for it harder than you could ever imagine—it hasn’t been served to me on a silver platter. And I can’t afford a single misstep either, or else…”

Akechi interrupted himself, as though trying to find the right words to convey what he meant, although he apparently came up blank in the end. Another smile then appeared on his lips, quite more subdued than those he showed to the world.

“I’m sorry… I brought down the mood, didn’t I?” he said in a self-deprecating voice, but just as Ryuji was about to reply he really didn’t, Akechi went on. “What I’m trying to say is, there’s nothing wrong with being carefree about what others think and true to yourself like you are, Sakamoto-kun. In fact, this is a fantastic quality…”

Ryuji couldn’t remember the last time he had been at such an immense loss for words.

Akechi’s melancholic gaze practically screamed for words of comfort, clumsy as they would be, but Ryuji’s brain fizzled out. There had been a lot of things he hadn’t planned today, but between hanging out with Akechi Goro of all people and actually being praised by him, he wasn’t sure which concept was harder to wrap his mind around. Because Akechi did praise him, didn’t he…? Sincerely, that is?

…Ryuji supposed he didn’t have much to complain about, in truth. Akechi made him realize that.

“Ah, I think those are ours,” Akechi said enthusiastically as the seconds of silence neared minutes. Sure enough, the cook laid down two huge ramen bowls in front of them, the broth blood red and topped with ground meat and sesame seeds.

“Damn, now I see why it’s a challenge,” Ryuji commented, staring at the thing like it was a car accident. “If the spiciness don’t kill you, then the size of it might. It’s like a monster or somethin’.”

“But it looks so delicious,” Akechi argued as he seized his chopsticks. “Well then, may the best man win, Sakamoto-kun—”

“Wait—don’t take such a huge mouthful—”

But Akechi was already slurping eagerly, humming a sound of approval at how good the ramen was. His eyes were twinkling in delight – until they suddenly twinkled from his tears.

It took about fifteen minutes, a lot of icy water and a wet towel before the eruption inside Akechi’s mouth turned back to a mere active volcano again.

“B-But it really t-tastes amazing,” he said even as Ryuji was vigorously fanning him out with the restaurant’s menu. “I-I mean, I do love spicy f-food, so—”

“Sure you do,” Ryuji responded flatly, feeling a twinge of sympathy for the guy amidst his annoyance – Akechi really was trying way too hard. “I wouldn’t have judged if you got yourself some other ramen, y’know. Or even cakes and sweets elsewhere.”

“No, no, I’m perfectly happy with my choice—plus, like I told you, I never turn down a challenge—”

Ryuji had to admit it: it was difficult not being impressed at how stubborn Akechi was as he pushed through his ramen, needing forty minutes overall but leaving nothing behind (he did look as though he were about to spit fire at some point, though). His noodles had long become soggy and the broth cold by the time he finished but he looked immensely pleased with himself all the same in spite of the numerous beads of sweat on his skin. Meanwhile, Ryujii had given up halfway through, succumbing to the spiciness.

“I win,” Akechi mumbled, slackening on his chair and touching his stomach. “Ah, I’m so full, though… I don’t know how I’m going to get home…”

“You’re gonna have to figure it out, then, ’cause we should probably get goin’. It’s past five already.”

“Really? Time really flew by, didn’t it…”

With this, Akechi laboriously dragged himself off his chair, bowed to the cook and retrieved his suitcase. Ryuji led the way outside, and their walk back to the subway station was a short one.

“Thank you for treating me, Sakamoto-kun,” Akechi said as they reached their separate ways. “I had a very nice time.”

“Right… Guess I had fun too,” Ryuji grumbled, not especially warm, but not outright icy either. “Wouldn’t have thought I’d invite you to get ramen, of all people.”

“Funny how things happen, isn’t it? Ah, by the way—here’s the coupon I got at the restaurant for the next free meal. As thanks for today.”

Before Ryuji had time to protest, Akechi shoved the coupon into his pocket, cutting him short.

Ryuji found an unbidden smile stretching out one corner of his lips.

“Well then… Goodbye, Sakamoto-kun,” Akechi said as he turned around, waving at him. “Take care of yourself.”

“Yeah… You too. And before I forget…”

Akechi tilted his head aside, his smile curious.

“Try to unclench a little, okay, Akechi?” Ryuji carried on, grinning broadly at him. “This stick up your ass ain’t doin’ you any favors. You’ll feel much better once you get rid of it, trust me.”

And with a snicker, Ryuji raised his index and middle finger into a salute and went on his way to catch his train, leaving a stuttering Akechi rooted to the spot. His grin hadn’t faded even as he sat down near the windows, imagining Akechi’s astounded face. He could definitely get used to making fun of him… Not in a spiteful, heinous kind of way, but more mischievous and harmless, like two friends who constantly exchanged banter.

_Friends, huh… Not sure I’m ready for that just yet, though._

“Um, excuse us…!”

A timid voice interrupted Ryuji’s train of thought, prompting him to look up and meet the gazes of two very cute girls, both clearly around high school age.

“H-Hey, what’s up?” he said, running his hand through his hair without wanting to do it consciously.

“U-Um, well… We saw you talk with Akechi-kun earlier in the station—”

“Are you his friend?!”

Ryuji’s goofy grin melted like an ice cream pint left on a malfunctioning heater. Of course it had to be about Akechi again.

“What if I am?” he groaned without really thinking, unable to help sounding defensive.

“So you are his friend! Omigosh omigosh omigosh!”

“Please tell us how it’s like to be his friend! What did you do together?!”

“Uh, well, we just grabbed ramen and chatted, I guess?” Ryuji replied, wishing they would leave him alone: their excitement was overwhelming.

He had hardly begun to wonder how to get himself out of their clutches when an idea came to him like an epiphany.

An idea so good, so brilliant, that a snort escaped him. He hurried to pass it off as a cough, however, upon noticing their curious looks.

“Shame we had to cut it short, though…” he added, letting his words hang purposefully in the air – and as expected, the two girls fell for it, hook, line, and sinker.

“Why? What happened?”

Ryuji glanced left, then right, and gestured at them to lean closer. The girls obliged and, features deadly serious, he whispered into their ears:

“You see… Akechi’s got _diarrhea.”_

“He… What?”

“You heard me… The explosive kind that twists and turns your guts over. That’s why he had to get home ASAP. Dude was practically rollin’ on the restaurant floor even after bein’ stuck in the toilet for thirty minutes.”

“Oh no… The poor thing…!”

“Don’t tell anyone though, all right?” Ryuji went on, trying to cut Akechi some slack despite all, although the twitch to his smile was a true ordeal to repress. “Akechi’s kinda shy about those sorts of things, y’know, so…”

“O-Of course! We won’t tell a soul!”

“Heh… Thanks for him. But anyways, about how it’s like to be Akechi’s friend… Well, can’t say we’re together nonstop but yeah… We’re kinda close…”

“Oooh, please tell us more!~”  
  
  
  
The week ended with a quiet Sunday for the Tokyo youth, until Monday rolled around once more with the usual gloominess it elicited. The collective sighs students across the country breathed out when the final bell rang was a sight to behold.

Akechi Goro didn’t linger at school too long: he had been assigned to a new case overnight and didn’t get the chance to tackle it just yet. Bidding his classmates goodbye, he hurried out of the building, wondering where to get started.

“Hey! Akechi-san!”

Goro stopped in his tracks, turning around to see a girl from his grade but not from his class trotting up to him. He gave her a kind smile.

“Glad I didn’t miss you leaving the school,” she said, bending over and reaching into her bag. “Here—I’ve got something for you.”

Goro blinked, surprised at the package she handed him, and while he took it, he couldn’t help but ask, “Thank you, but… what is this?”

“No idea. A girl came by the gates earlier and asked me if I could give it to you. Judging from her uniform, she wasn’t from our school, and she looked too embarrassed to wait for you herself, so…”

“I see how it is. Thank you very much for passing it to me.”

“No problem. Well, see you tomorrow.”

Deciding to kill time before his train arrived, Goro found himself a seat on the subway platform and checked out the package: it was quite small and light, the front unnamed. Opening it revealed a tiny box and a letter, which Goro decided to check out first.

_Dear Akechi-kun,_

_You don’t know me, but I’m your number one fan!! I attend all your interviews and my dream is to talk to you one day. I’m too shy at the moment… But I’ll get there, you’ll see! Please look forward to it!_

_I met one of your friends Saturday evening, the one with bleached blond hair. It’s funny how you and him are nothing alike, but I bet he must be a great person if you two get along so well. I’m so happy for you!_

_I can’t wait for your next interview! Me and my friends will be there, no questions asked. Maybe I’ll even be able to talk to you then… Oh, that’d be the dream!_

_Yours, always!!_

_PS: Your friend told us about your little problem on Saturday evening… So I hope this will help. Get well soon, Akechi-kun…!_

Goro read the letter once, then twice.

Slowly, he reached for the box, which he now recognized as medicine. A medicine specifically designed for diarrhea.

“…Sakamoto…!”  
  
  
  
Miles away from the scene in his bedroom, Ryuji suddenly sneezed. It had to be a trick of his mind, he thought as he rubbed his nose, but he swore he just sensed the burning eyes of a demon glaring murder at him for some reason, or something equally terrifying.

Ryuji yawned and scratched his head in supreme nonchalance. His imagination could truly conjure up the stupidest things sometimes.  
  
  
  
  


* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Yooo! How is everyone doing?
> 
> I've been super busy lately for two reasons: because uni's 2nd semester started and I've got so much to read and write about, and also because I just built my first computer from scratch and it was quite an experience to say the least xD The building itself took only a day but the whole setting up the PC itself took forever... I'm glad it's over tbh! I love looking at my computer now it's [so pretty xD](https://i.imgur.com/nl7XzjE.jpg)
> 
> I've mentioned this several times before... But I'm literally falling HARD for Ryugoro, both platonic and romantic, ever since I completed P5 Royal. They got so many brand new and lovely interactions, both in the story and the My Palace/Thieves Den mode and before I knew it... my heart had been taken -_- This is probably why I've been almost subconsciously inserting Ryugoro moments in [Cherry Bomb](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16011692/chapters/37362947) notably, but Contrast was actually my attempt at practicing writing more Ryugoro to prepare for Cherry's next chapter 👀 While it's not the first time I write some Ryugoro, I never truly focused solely on it before. I really wanted to get their voices right and their interactions believable and in line with canon, so Contrast helped me there. It's quite the lighthearted, low stakes story that is easy to write, and I've been meaning to do this idea for a very long time now, so I'm glad it's out of the way!
> 
> Ryuji really got a laugh out of poor Goro there... but trust me, Goro isn't the type to be on the receiving end of the banter and never giving it back if you see what I mean 😏 Ryuji really has no idea what he just started... I'd hate to be in his shoes actually 😏😏😏
> 
> (PS: Come say hi [on Insta!](https://www.instagram.com/p5soleilnoir/))


End file.
